The White Ribbon Australia Position Statement on Women’s Reproductive Rights was released in February 2017 and provided a strong statement to the Australian community that women’s sexual and reproductive rights, like all basic human rights, are NOT optional.

WWDA believe women and girls with and without disability have the right to make free and informed choices about their bodies, sexual health, reproductive health, relationships and parenting, including when and if to seek an abortion.

WWDA’s position is consistent with the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) who in their General recommendation 35 on gender-based violence against women (2017) stated that:

“Violations of women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, such as forced sterilizations, forced abortion, forced pregnancy, criminalisation of abortion, denial or delay of safe abortion and post-abortion care, forced continuation of pregnancy, abuse and mistreatment of women and girls seeking sexual and reproductive health information, goods and services, are forms of gender-based violence that, depending on the circumstances, may amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.”